Begin Again
by Doctor Duela
Summary: "Believe in something" Scorpius mumbled in her auburn hair. "Believe in me." He could feel her heartbeat accelerate as he deeply inhaled her sweet scent.
1. Beginnings

It had been 8 months. Lily Potter reminded herself that she had only dated the boy for 8 months, and now 8 months after their breakup she still couldn't couldn't believe that Bryant Finnigan had broken their relationship off. The red head was seated in a quiet café in Hogsmead, hoping not to run into Bryant and his new girlfriend. Earlier that day in the castle, Lily watched at a distance as Bryant snogged Jaycee Thomas and toyed with a piece of her hair. Her hair was down, the brown strands falling in her face, and Lily remembered how he used to criticize her when she let her auburn locks fall loose around her shoulders. She shouldn't have been surprised that he'd moved on, after all it had been several

months since the break up. Still, it stung to see him with his arms wrapped around another girl, arms that she was used to. In an attempt to divert her thoughts she pulled out a quill and piece of parchment and began working on her potions paper.

She didn't notice when a small group of seventh years walked into the café, taking a seat across from where she sat. But one of them noticed her immediately. The tall blonde took a seat with his peers and ordered a drink. The group of boys began debating about their impending Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, but Scorpius Malfoy found his attention drifting to thoughts of the pretty redhead who was sitting all alone. As his friends droned on and on about player match ups, Scorpius couldn't help but wonder what the girl was doing in the hidden café and why she was sitting alone. Without really thinking about it he nonchalantly stood up and strode over to where the girl sat. His friends took notice, but resumed their conversation without missing a beat.

Lily wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and was startled when she heard someone clear their throat. She looked up expectantly, waiting for the tall blond to speak. She studied his face for a moment, admiring his chiseled jaw and stormy grey eyes. Of course she knew who he was, but she'd never really spoken to him.

"Hi," he finally said after a long, awkward silence.

Skepticism etched across Lily's soft features before she finally responded. "Hi," she squeaked.

"Would you mind if I join you?" Scorpius asked, noticing a small smile grace her soft features.

"Well," she started, hesitating. She looked towards a table of his friends, who were openly staring at them, but not saying a word. She couldn't really think of a reason to say no, or maybe she was just tired of being alone, and despite herself she nodded.

He grinned and pulled out the chair across from her. The conversation was awkward at first, neither one quite knowing what to say. However, soon the pair found common ground with their studies and their mutual interest in becoming healers.

"I didn't know you took an interest in potions," Scorpius remarked. He was surprisingly at ease with the soft-spoken girl. "I've got a few books that might help you with your OWLS."

"Really?" Lily asked smiling a little wider. Her thirst for knowledge was what landed her in Ravenclaw, where she felt she truly belonged. "I wouldn't want to be a bother," she trailed off as she spoke.

"It's no bother," he assured her.

"Well, my cousin Rose promised to lend me some of her books, but she marks them up so they are completely unreadable," she rolled her eyes at the thought of trying to find the text beneath Rose's endless notes. "She's completely mental when it comes to her books." Scorpius chuckled at Lily's complaint and she registered how she wasn't used to making others laugh. Bryant had always made it known that he didn't think Lily's sense of humour was funny at all.

"Yeah, I've seen how she yells at your brother when he tries to cheat off her." He chucked, "Of course, half the time it blows up in his face. Literally!" The pair laughed more audibly and Scorpius enjoyed the melodious laughter of the girl across from him. Scorpius ran his hands through his hair as his friends got out of their seats and approached the table.

"We're out of here, mate," Knott said, eyeing the girl across from Scorpius. "You coming?"

"That's alright," Scorpius said acknowledging the group. "I'll catch up with you guys later." He turned his attention back to the girl across from him who was slowly captivating him. The group then exited without another word.

She looked outside as his friends walked out of sight. "I should probably get back to the castle," she sighed almost imperceptibly.

"I can walk you back if you'd like," he said as he stood and offered her his hand, helping her out if her seat.

"Thank you," she said accepting his invitation. His hand was cool against her warm skin, and it almost felt as though she would burn him. With their hands released, Scorpius wanted desperately to grab his hand in an effort to savor the feel of her soft, warm skin against his own. He held the door open for Lily and the two exited the building.

They were quiet on their walk back, neither one wanting to interrupt the peaceful bliss of walking through the beautiful landscape together. When they were approaching the castle gates Scorpius broke the silence. "So maybe we can meet up in the library tomorrow?" He paused. "You know," he continued, " so you can take a look at a couple of my books." His blond brows raised in anticipation of her response.

"Sure," she smiled feeling excited at the thought. "I would really appreciate that."

The both came to a stop as they approached the gate to the castle. Scorpius couldn't deny the fact that he was trying to prolong the moment. Taking a deep breath his voice was quiet when he spoke. "Until tomorrow, Lily." It was the first time he'd ever used her first name, and it felt oddly thrilling for him to say it.

He detected a slight pink tint to her cheeks before she fumbled with her words. "Thank you for today, Scorpius." He was sure Lily would notice his reaction after she spoke his name in almost a whisper. He hadn't realized the depth of Lily's gratitude, for he was unaware that she was struggling with seeing her ex boyfriend with another girl just that morning.

Still, Lily couldn't help but smile, because for the first time in a very long time she didn't really care about who Bryant Finnigan was snogging.


	2. Friends

**I don't own H.P.**

 **Thank you to those that reviewed! They encourage me to continue writing.**

"Man," Maddox Goyle called across the field to the tall blond. Goyle rubbed his hands together in an attempt to sooth them after a long morning of Quidditch practice. Like most beaters he was a brawny boy. He kept his brown hair short, and he wasn't particularly handsome, but he never had trouble finding a girl to keep him company. "Do you know what you're doing, mate?"

"What are you going on about?" Scorpius countered as they gathered to the sidelines. Exasperated, he ran his hands through his messy platinum hair. The group of Slytherin seventh years hadn't brought up their friend's actions from the previous day, but Scorpius knew it was only a matter of time before they bombarded him with questions.

"Come on," Damien Zabini remarked indignantly. His dark eyes flashed towards his friend before he turned his attention back to packing up their practice equipment. His dark hair and skin were the complete opposite of Scorpius, but the two were very similar in their continence. Neither of the Slytherins liked to discuss their personal lives, especially with their housemates. "Sure she's pretty," the darker boy acceded, "but still, she's a bloody Potter."

"Yeah," Thomas Knott agreed, sitting down and taking a deep breath. "I seriously doubt any good can come of this."

"Nothing good ever comes with messing around with anyone in that family." Though Zabini hadn't meant for the others to hear, no realizing that he'd actually spoken those words out loud, he now had all of his friends staring at him. "Oi, sod off," he said attempting to lightening the mood.

"Would you know from experience?" Goyle joked, slapping his friend on the back. Scorpius openly scowled at his friend as he scrambled for words. He couldn't help but wonder if Zabini was somehow referring to Lily Potter from experience. Still, the family was rather large, so chances were that it was one of the Weasley girls.

"No!" He barked at the group, convincing no one. Scorpius was about to inquire further, when Avery cut him off.

"It would be funny as hell to see how her family reacted to a Slytherin banging their precious Potter princess." Avery grinned mischievously. "Hell, I'd love to see the look on Potter's face when he finds out your—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Scorpius chuckled and punched his friend in the arm. Standing, the blond eyed his friends signaling to them that he was finished discussing the topic of Lily Potter. "I'm not talking about this with you lot," he mentioned lightly and turned to walk away, "Just leave it alone for now." Though they were bellowing obscenities as he walked away he ignored the overly immature slurs they shot at him.

As the Great Hall filled with students just in time for breakfast, Scorpius was preoccupied by his afternoon plans to meet Lily at the library. He showered as quickly as he could after practice, hoping to bump into Lily at breakfast. He wasn't entirely sure that it was a good idea, but he reassured himself that he was helping her and there was nothing more. He'd been preoccupied and missed her entry into the Great Hall, and by the time he caught sight of the red hair, she was securely ensconced in a seat at the Ravenclaw table, surrounded by her housemates. It was clear that she was busy, so Scorpius distracted himself with conversations about the upcoming Quidditch match with his housemates. When he finished he made his way to his room, where he grabbed a few books he thought might interest Lily, and headed toward the library.

When he entered he quickly scanned the room and spotted Lily easily. He registered the fact that she hadn't looked up when he entered. He hesitated, considering the possibility that she may have forgotten their planned meeting, but after a brief pause he made his way to the table she was sitting at. Before he reached her, she finally looked up and almost imperceptible shook her head before looking back down at her book. Drawing his eyebrows in, confusion adorned his handsome face. Rather than stopping at where she sat, he walked past her and found and empty table where he set his things down and tried not to think about Lily's actions. He couldn't focus, running over the events from the previous day. He racked his mind trying to consider whether he'd somehow offended her or upset her. Moments later he watched as Lily stood and brushed past him coldly. Her eyes were fixed ahead, never sparing Scorpius even the smallest of glances. He didn't take his dark eyes off her, though, as she sauntered down one of the rows of books and out of his sight. When he finally looked back at his books he noticed a small piece of parchment that hadn't been there moments ago. All it said was:

 _Powerful Potions and Rare Ingredients_

Scorpius immediately recognized the book reference and rose from his seat, looking toward the direction that Lily had just went. He walked quickly down the rows of books searching for the one that was on the piece of parchment, though he wasn't entirely sure why. The redhead was nowhere in sight, but he followed the rows of books until he found where the book title she had written down should be. And, sitting on the floor with her books spread out in front of her was Lily Potter. She looked up when she heard his footsteps and smiled softly.

"Hi there," she said quietly. "I'm sorry if that seemed childish…" she trailed off, waiting for a reaction from him. After a moment he smirked and shrugged off his robes, taking a seat near the red head.

"I get it," he reassured her. "No need to make a big deal out of nothing, right," he said still smirking. He loosened his tie slightly and caught her eyeing him intently before turning away and blushing.

"Right!" Standing, she shrugged off her own robes, and Scorpius couldn't stop himself from staring at her newly exposed legs. "I just don't know how my family…well my brother in particular would take to me hanging out with you." Scorpius quickly turned his gaze from the girls exposed skin, hoping she didn't catch him staring.

"Yeah," he agreed, "I don't think he would take to the news that a Potter and a Malfoy are actually friends." Scorpius recalled the first time he'd hexed Albus Potter. It was during Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potter had made some slur about Deatheaters, singling Scorpius out. From that moment Scorpius and Albus had declared themselves enemies.

"Is that what we are?" Lily asked interrupting his thoughts. "Friends?" She'd closed the book that she was looking at, focusing her attention on the handsome boy in front of her.

"I think we can be," he said slowly. They were both silent for a moment when Scorpius remembered the books he brought with him. He pulled them out and enjoyed how Lily's face lit in excitement as he spread them out in front of her. She took them with gratitude and the two studied in a comfortable silence. He tried to repress the urge to stroke her pink cheeks, and he couldn't help but wonder if she had a perpetual blush.

"Can I ask you something," Scorpius broke the silence first, remembering their previous encounter the day before. He'd been itching to ask her many things, but didn't want to pry.

She looked up at him from her book. "Sure."

"Why were you sitting alone in Hogsmead yesterday?"

She shifted uncomfortably, and Scorpius was already regretting bringing it up.

"Well, um, I just…" she stumbled over her words awkwardly. "I just didn't want to see certain people." Scorpius wanted to ask who, but she didn't give him the chance. "Bryant has a new girlfriend, and well…" her voice trailed off.

Scorpius was searching his brain, trying to register the name Bryant with a face, but he couldn't recall the boy. He was certain that Lily had some feelings for whoever Bryant was, but he had not idea what the extent of it was. With a twinge of jealousy, he convinced himself to drop the subject. Scorpius was quiet for a moment and when he looked back at Lily her eyes were still cast down, though he was certain she was no longer reading. "Can I ask you something, too?" She finally spoke though didn't look up, and Scorpius yet again could detect the smallest hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"I suppose," he said, intrigued at what could make the girl in front of him avoid looking at him.

"What made you sit with me?" She still didn't look up, and even turned a page in her book.

"Honestly?" Scorpius raised a platinum brow and ran his fingers through his hair. "I didn't really even think about what I was doing," he wanted to add that it was almost as if he was drawn to her, but instead said, "I guess I was curious about you."

Lily didn't know how to respond, so instead she looked back at her book smiling and shaking her head slightly, her red locks bouncing on her shoulders.

"What?" he smirked at her reaction. She raised her book, pretending to be intently studying a page, though Scorpius wasn't fooled. He could see she was clearly trying to hide her face in the book. Boldly, he reached out to push it aside. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Hide your face from me." With his insistence, she lowered her book slowly. Their hands briefly grazed, sending a slight shiver through Scorpius. He wanted to reach out and touch the blush that spread across her face, but he restrained himself.

"So, maybe we could hang out again."

Looking directly at the blond she hesitated, making Scorpius anxious. "I'd like that, but…well you know I have a ton of family all around here, in every house."

"No one needs to know," he said, repeating his words from earlier. He could understand the source of her hesitation, and even shared it.

"So," a mischievous grin formed on her face "We'll be…what? Secret friends?"

"If you want."

"Sounds exciting." It was the first time Scorpius saw Lily's eyes light up and it struck him how beautiful she truly was.


	3. Almosts in the Tower

**I do not own H.P.**

 **AN: Thanks for those that are reviewing/following this story. I've started the next chapter, but I doubt it will be out before Friday. Enjoy, and if you feel inclined let me know what you think.**

The Hall was full of students, and though Scorpius tried to keep his gaze down, his attention flickered to the red head sitting two tables away from him. He was trying and failing to suppress the jealous feelings bubbling inside of him as he glared at the boy sitting next to Lily. She didn't seem to welcome the bloke's presence, which helped calm his irritation. Still, he hated that they agreed to be friends in secret for two reasons. First, he wanted to be able to talk to her whenever he liked without worrying that someone might catch them. He understood her hesitation, but he didn't know that it was entirely necessary. Second, and more disturbingly, it was becoming evident that he wanted to be much more than friends with the beautiful red head. His glare deepened as he watched the boy next to Lily rest his arm behind her. Though she didn't appear to notice, Scorpius observed the boy softly stroking her robes with his thumb. Slamming his fork down and pushing his plate away, Scorpius stood and left the Great Hall, ignoring his friends' calling after him.

He was wondering the corridors, trying to cool his head, when he spotted trouble. Albus Potter and one of his friends were walking towards him. Both the boys were grinning like idiots.

"Oi," the dark haired boy called to Scorpius, who turned away, hoping to avoid confrontation, not because he was afraid, but because he didn't want to disturb his already delicate friendship with Lily. "What are you doing out here?" Albus demanded. Though he was glaring Scorpius could see a hint of a smile on the other boys face, no doubt reveling in the opportunity to confront Scorpius alone.

Scorpius bit his tongue, trying his hardest not to retort sarcastically. "I don't want any trouble," he finally spit out at the two boys.

"That's a first," scoffed the other boy, who Scorpius finally recognized to be Mike Roberts. Scorpius could hardly resist the urge to curse the crooked grin off the brown haired bloke's face.

Scorpius eyed the other two boys, when he heard footsteps approaching.

"What's going on here?" Scorpius's head snapped up toward the direction of the newcomer. He immediately recognized the frizzy red hair. The girl looked from Albus to Mike and then to Scorpius.

Albus shrugged. "Nothing that matters, Rosie." Scorpius appreciated the noticeable irritation that crossed the girl's face. She wasn't fooled by Albus's nonchalance.

"Somehow I find that hard to believe." For a brief moment Scorpius saw a hint of something else as she spoke. She placed an unsteady and on her hip. "You lot should just get out of here," she said quickly, and it then struck Scorpius that she looked nervous. Her eyes were darting around the corridor and her cheeks were slightly flushed, but Albus didn't seem to notice, or perhaps he simply chose not to notice.

"Oh come on, Rosie," Albus turned his emerald eyes to his cousin and smiled impishly. "We're just having fun." Scorpius wasn't fooled by Albus's joking tone and he reacted quickly when he saw the dark haired boy pull out his wand, pulling out his own.

"I wouldn't do that," a familiar voice drawled from behind them. Scorpius turned toward Damien Zabini, who he hadn't even heard approach the group. He had his own wand drawn and was smirking at the group of Gryffindors. The dark boy was about the same height as Scorpius and together the two of them could be quite intimidating.

"Let's get away from these snakes," Mike said to Albus and Rose. Albus didn't look prepared to back away from the Slytherins, but then his eyes flickered to Rose, and something in her own expression convinced him. Without another word they were gone.

"What was that about?" Damien asked when he was sure they were gone.

"They were just being bloody pricks," Scorpius observed his friend, who seemed out of sorts, before adding, "nothing new there." They both laughed. "I'm not entirely sure where Weasley even came from," Scorpius added as an afterthought. She certainly didn't seem to want to stir up any trouble, but the blond boy attributed that to her being Head girl.

"Well," Zabini clasped his friend's shoulder. "We should probably get to Defense." Scorpius sighed loudly because he knew Weasley and Potter would both be there.

During Defense Against the Dark Arts, Scorpius found his mind wondering to the morning and Lily Potter. Something about her face seemed off at breakfast, though he wasn't sure how he could even be certain. Impulsively, he took out a piece of parchment and scribbled a note asking her to meet him at the Astronomy Tower after curfew. Folding the note carefully he put it in his cloak and would wait for an opportunity to give it to Lily. He wasn't thinking about his actions, but instead rushed out of class, hoping to spot Lily amongst the crowd of students, determined to create an opportunity to slip the note to her.

Luck was on his side, as he spotted her red hair amongst the crowd easily. He needed to be discreet, so he walked in her direction, and bumped into a fourth year Ravenclaw who was standing next to Lily.

"Watch it," he hissed at the small girl. He took the opportunity to slip the note into Lily's pocket. He locked his grey eyes with her hazel eyes for the briefest moment before pushing his way through the crowd, and forcing himself to look forward, rather than back at Lily, who he could feel still staring at him.

The day continued very slowly for Scorpius, and when 9:30 rolled around he carefully made his way to the Astronomy Tower. He knew the Prefect that was on duty would be a Slytherin, so he didn't have any trouble convincing them to keep quiet.

He wasn't sure if Lily would show up, and the closer he got to the tower the more he considered just going back to his room. He couldn't even be sure that she read his note or that she would be willing to risk getting caught. However, he couldn't miss a chance to be around the intoxicating girl, and there were questions he needed answering. He carefully composed himself, and worked to control his features, not wanting her to see how she affected him.

It was a little after 10 when Lily did show up, and Scorpius felt a gush of relief that she hadn't chosen to ignore his request.

When Lily entered, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Hi," she squeaked. He couldn't help but smirk at her expression. "I didn't think…well I didn't think you'd be here already," she fumbled over her words and turned pink.

"Why not?" The blond was still smirking, and had forgotten about his previous anger. He wasn't angry at Lily, but rather at the boy that was sitting too close to her, and Albus for being a git, though it never used to bother him. "I said I would be here at 10."

"Well," she hesitated, not looking up. "I'm just used to waiting."

"Ah," he said shaking his head. "This..Bryant? bloke, I suppose." He could hardly believe that Lily would put up with someone that would make her wait. She deserved so much more than that, and it was even more frustrating that her family would tolerate that.

She nodded in response, but didn't speak. Scorpius gestured for her to come sit next to him, so she did. They sat in a comfortable silence overlooking the grounds. It was a beautiful view, and Scorpius found it calming, but with the girl next to him he had to force himself to look out rather than at her.

Lily broke the silence, sighing quietly. "I hate to ruin this moment." Lily turned to Scorpius and he could see that she truly regretted breaking the silence. "It's such a breathtaking view, but…well," she let out a breath. "Why the note?"

Scorpius didn't know what to say at first. He wanted to tell her about his encounter with her brother, but then thought it might upset her. He then thought about what he'd witnessed at breakfast. The truth was that he was curious about her, but more than that he needed her calming presence. He calculated his words carefully before speaking. "I saw you at breakfast, and, well, there was something about the bloke sitting next to you." He could hear the jealousy in his voice and hoped that the beautiful girl next to him couldn't. "It's just, you looked very unhappy and I was worried about you." He paused again, trying to gauge her expression, but couldn't decipher it. "As your friend, I just wanted to make sure you are ok."

He watched intently as Lily's expression transformed. She looked touched, but also burdened, almost as though she could cry. He was shocked when she finally spoke.

"Bryant Finnigan just cant take a hint," Lily said vehemently. It was the first time that Scorpius had ever seen her angry. Her outburst surprised him, and he was unsure how to respond. "I know he has the right to sit where he wants, but…why there? Why does he do this to me?" She looked at Scorpius searching for an answer, but he had none. He knew that he was angrier that he had been this morning at the boy, but he composed his face, showing no emotion.

"Why does it matter?" Scorpius asked trying to keep his voice soft. He didn't want to be insensitive, but his curiosity was burning.

"We dated," she finally admitted. Scorpius had figured that they had dated, but he was shocked when she continued to tell him that they had dated for 8 months when he suddenly ended their relationship with no warning or reason.

"It's not like I thought we would be together forever," she said looking at her hands as she fidgeted with them. He wanted to reach over to stop her, but he restrained the urge. "I guess I just didn't see it coming…and I thought I was pretty happy, so I just assumed he was too." She looked out over the grounds again, and Scorpius could see a far away look in her eyes. "He was my first boyfriend."

Scorpius didn't know how to respond, so, instead he chose to change the subject.

"It's very difficult to keep our friendship a secret." He shifted a little to see her better. The moonlight shone against her pale skin, and he could see a few light freckles spread out across her features. Her hazel eyes were soft and dreamy.

"It's only the first week!" She giggled, and the sound made Scorpius chuckle.

"Still," he said running his hands through his hair with a crooked grin, which disarmed Lily. He looked so different when he wasn't serious and she found herself inching towards him unconsciously.

"I think that's what makes it so exciting," she commented airily. "Not being able to just walk up to each other and say something, but passing notes instead." Scorpius admired the excitement on her face and the way her eyes lit up. She was close to, and he could feel heat radiating from her body. It would have been so easy to lean over and press his lips to hers. He leaned closer to her, hearing her voice hitch slightly. He almost did it. Almost.

Instead, he spoke softly, his minty breath caressing her cheek. "We should probably get back." His eyes never left her face as he studied the soft lines of her face, memorizing each freckle sprinkled across her face; they were so light he couldn't see them from a distance.

"Yeah," she said, letting out a breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding.

The next morning at breakfast, Lily's hazel eyes were intently on the tall Slytherin as he entered the Great Hall. She'd received an unaddressed letter only moments before Scorpius entered, and, without reading it, she knew it was from him. Scorpius took his seat at the Slytherin table and piled his plate full of food. Nobody noticed her smile at him and he smiled back before looking down to his food, still smiling.


	4. Coldness

**I do not own H.P.**

 **A Quick thanks to those reading, and my apologies for the delay in this chapter. My computer changer broke and unfortunately this is the first time I've been able to write due to that. I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!**

Lily read the note again. The message was simple, but every time she looked at the cursive writing her heart skipped a beat. Drawing the blue curtains around her bed for privacy, she opened the letter again, reading the simple note:

 _Hogsmead this weekend?_

She wanted to send a note back with a resounding yes, but, thinking of the consequences, she knew she could not agree. There was no doubt in her mind that being seen with Scorpius in Hogsmead would raise too many questions, questions that she couldn't answer. Reluctantly, she pulled out a piece of parchment and scribbled an apology, and voiced her desire to say yes, but ultimately she just couldn't. Early the next morning Lily went to the owlery to send of the letter without giving it too much thought, knowing that she might change her mind if she gave herself the chance. Since breakfast was still a couple of hours away, Lily took a walk around the castle, appreciating the morning air. Her emotions were confusing, as she thought of Malfoy's steely grey eyes, remembering how he peered at her intently as they sat so close to each other in the Astronomy Tower. She desired his company, but knew that both would suffer if others suspected a friendship growing between the two of them.

She lost track of time during her wondering, and when she finally went to breakfast her eyes scanned the Great Hall, searching for a pair of grey eyes. She sat down and made a plate of food, and began eating slower than normal. She was almost finished with her breakfast when Scorpius finally made an appearance. She tried desperately to lock eyes with him, but he didn't acknowledge her, and she was sure he was avoiding her gaze. She watched him intently as he loaded his plate with food and sat silently. He seemed to be ignoring those around him as they tried to speak to him, and Lily felt that she was probably to blame due to the note she'd sent him that morning.

Finally, Lily got up to leave, knowing there was little point in watching the Slytherin, especially since Bryant Finnigan was sitting across from her. He'd been sitting at the Ravenclaw table more often, and though at first she attributed it to his new girlfriend who was a housemate of Lily's, it soon became clear that the two were hardly talking. Lily tried to ignore the rumors that surrounded the couple, and assumed that the Gryffindor was sitting at the Ravenclaw table to make amends with Jaycee. However, it didn't escape Lily's attention that whenever he sat at the table, he always managed to find a seat close to Lily, which she assumed was probably to make Jaycee jealous. Although a month ago she would have been flattered and hopeful by his actions, Lily was no longer sure that she harbored any feelings for Bryant, especially when since the image of him snogging Jaycee was burned into her memory.

Not long after exiting the Great Hall, Lily heard someone follow. She smiled to herself thinking it must be the blond Slytherin. When she turned around, however it was not a pair a grey eyes that scanned her. Giving herself a mental kick for who she had hoped to see, she plastered a forced smile on her face before speaking.

"Finnigan," she greeted curtly, choosing purposefully to use his surname. He grinned at her, which made her heart leap despite herself. He was extremely handsome, and though she wanted to, she couldn't deny that. His smile didn't falter at Lily's hostile tone, and his brown eyes danced as he took a step toward her.

"Why so formal, Potter?" His voice was light, and he clearly didn't see how tense the red head was. He said her surname in an amused tone, clearly mimicking her use of his. Remembering how he used her surname when breaking up with her, she worked to control her emotions. She thought of Scorpius, always so calm and composed, as she shrugged nonchalantly, hoping to imitate him in some manner. It felt strange, as she realized that Malfoy was almost always on her mind, and in this moment it was clear that she admired him in so many ways.

"I have somewhere to be," she said turning her back to him. Before she could get away he caught her wrist and pulled her back to him forcefully, causing her body to crash into his. Her calm demeanor wavered, which her companion quickly sensed, causing him to smile even wider. His grip on her arm tightened, but she refused to acknowledge his physical advantage over her. She cursed herself for not being able to reach her wand discreetly.

"Come on, Lily." She hated that he used her name, and even more, she hated the way he licked his lips before smiling as his eyes scanned her body, which was still unbearably close to his. She hated to think of the games he'd once played with her emotions, and when he said "Don't be like that," her hand twitched, itching to pull out her wand and curse him. She was quickly losing her composure, and with one last attempt to steady her emotions, she took a deep breath.

"Please just leave me alone," she finally sputtered out unsteadily. Before he could respond, they heard a door slam behind them and both turned in the direction of the noise. Lily couldn't see past Bryant's large form, though she did notice his body tense.

"Damn snake." Finnigan hissed just loud enough for Lily to hear.

Relief flooded through Lily as Scorpius walked into her line of sight, though it was short lived. She could only imagine how Bryant would react if he found that Lily and Scorpius were friends…if that is even what they were. She knew he would be swift to tell her entire family. Her eyes quickly sought Scorpius's, but there was no emotion, only a cold look of indifference.

Annoyance shone on the slightly shorter brunette boys face as Scorpius strutted toward them. "Can _we_ help you?" There was no mistaking the irritation in Finnigan's voice, and his emphasis as he said _we_ irritated Lily. They were certainly no longer a "we". Where Scorpius allowed no emotion to penetrate his cold stare, Bryant's face was turning red as he was unable to hide his irritation.

Scorpius didn't look directly at Lily, but instead smirked at the other boy. "Just passing through." His grey eyes darkened though Lily still could not detect any emotion on his stony face as he walked past the two. "Please," he said, still not looking at Lily, "continue." He turned away and resumed walking down the corridor, without looking back at Lily or Bryant.

Malfoy had managed to distract the other boy just long enough for Lily to grab her wand, though it was unnecessary as students began exiting the Great Hall and filling the corridor, leaving Finnigan no time to speak another word to Lily. She took the opportunity and turned her back and scampered off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scorpius was irritated, thinking of the events from only moments ago. In the Great Hall, he watched intently as Finnigan forced himself into Lily's presence, first by simply sitting near her. However, after Lily exited the Great Hall Scorpius could not remain seated as he watched Finnigan stand, and after briefly looking around to see if any one was watching him, follow Lily out.

His thoughts were cut off as Professor Thompson cleared his throat.

"Mr. Malfoy," the Runes professor said in a stern voice.

"Yes, professor?" He looked up at Professor Thompson, who could see that the seventh year was clearly not paying attention.

He huffed slightly, before handing over a piece of parchment. "You're needed in Professor Garmond's office."

Scorpius took the parchment, slightly confused. He couldn't fathom why the Head of his house would need him in particular. He thought about a few reasons after he'd exited the classroom. He walked through the corridors racking his brain when suddenly he was yanked into a classroom. Acting on his initial reaction, Scorpius reached for his wand, but after seeing a flash or red hair he quickly stopped himself. He composed his features and faced the girl with a stony look.

"I'm sorry to startle you," she huffed. "Professor Garmund doesn't need you," she grinned, "I sent the note." She was clearly proud of herself, and Scorpius had to admit he found her sneakiness worthy of Slytherin praise. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and Scorpius appreciated the color on her. She looked at him almost beseechingly. "I really just wanted to say thank you and explain," she started, but he shook his head, stopping her.

"You owe me nothing," he said, "least of all an explanation." He couldn't deny the fact that he had spent the morning trying to ignore her after receiving her note, but in truth he was ignoring everyone. He knew she wouldn't be able to say yes. Their friendship would do either of them little good. From the look of things between her and FInnigan earlier he wasn't even sure that they were over. He was about to voice these concerns when Lily spoke first.

"I didn't know it was Finnigan that followed me out of the Great Hall earlier," she said. She was glaring down at the floor with her hands on her hips. "I thought it was you," she finally admitted, her features softening, though she didn't look up from the spot on the floor that her eyes were transfixed on. "Or rather," she paused hesitant to continue, but she looked up and Scorpius's gaze finally softened, urging her to continue, "I hoped it was you." They were both quiet, and Lily averted her eyes. Knowing he was still staring at her, she blushed.

"Why?" He finally asked.

"I don't know…" her voice trailed off. "I guess," she said sighing and pulling at her loose strands of hair anxiously. "I suppose I was hoping for the chance to apologize for not being able to go to Hogsmeade.

He smirked. "About that," he raked his hands through his messy platinum hair, "I had an idea." Lily perked up, listening intently as he continued. "What if we didn't go?" He paused, waiting for her response.

Confusion crept onto her face before responding. "I thought that was the problem."

"I mean we could stay behind. The two of us could stay here instead, and we wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing us together because they will all be out of the castle."

Lily's smile lit up her face. "That's brilliant!"


End file.
